May 31, 2012

THE police in Edo State, yesterday, averted what could have been a bloody clash between supporters of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN and those of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo Central senatorial district of the state, following attempts by PDP youths, to take over the five local government councils in the district.

The action of the PDP members, it was learnt, was sequel to the judgment of the state high court in Ekpoma, which declared the existence of caretaker committee chairmen in the 18 local government areas of the state as illegal. Edo Central is the domain of the former chairman Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih.

The tension in the state heightened when the youths stormed the council headquarters in Irrua, Ekpoma, Uromi and Ubiaja, saying they were on a mission to enforce the court order by taking over the councils, after they accused the state government of alleged refusal to obey the court judgment.

Meanwhile, the state Director of Publicity of the PDP, Okharedia Ihimekpen, insisted that their action was legal, claiming that “the court judgment said that caretaker committees are illegal. The judgment was submitted to the police and the State Security Service, SSS. Governor Adams Oshiomhole applied for stay of execution but it has not been granted. So we decided to take over as directed by the court.”

But Attorney General of the state and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Osagie Obayuwana, described the action of the PDP youths as the worst form of anarchy, saying: “We will surely prosecute those arrested because what they did was criminal.”